Improvement in metallic cartridges



M. M. E. GAUTHEY.

metallic -fiartridge.

Patented Fob. 9,1875.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARC M. E. GAUTHEY, or PARIS, FRANCE.

IMPROVEMENT IN METALLIC CARTRIDGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 159,665, dated February 9, l 75; application filed October 19, 1874.

'l'o all whom it may cancer-11 Be it known that I, MARC MARIUs EMILE GAUTIIEY, of Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Im provements in Metallic Cartridges; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

In metallic cartridges destined for use in connection with central-percussion fire-arms,

it has been found that they are liable to burst or become ruptured under two conditions, as follows: In certain cases the shell bursts longitudinally; in others (and this happens more frequently) the rupture takes place at the time of the explosion at the junction with the bottom orre-enforce, and which causes the escape of gases, and renders the cartridge itself inoperative for further use. To remedy these defects I have applied certain improvements in central-fire cartridges, which may be resumed as follows: First, the use in metallic cartridges, in general, of lap-seamed shells, whereby a certain degree of elasticity is imparted to them, rendering longitudinal rupture impossible. This method of forming the shell of cartridges has the further advantage that ordinary copper or brass, such as is easily found in the market, can be used. They can also be made by hand, and while following armies, and by means of implements which are excessively simple and easily carried along. Second, the use, in combination with such lapseaincd shells, of one or more re-enforce cups of comparatively greater thickness, and of an interior disk or re-enforce of metal or other suitable nnuerial, the upright flange of which extends below that of the exterior re-euforce cup.

For metallic cartridges which are not .intended to be used over again, but a single reeuforce is employed, as shown in Figures 5, 8, and 11 but for those that are intended to be used more than once, I prefer the arrangement represented in Fig. 12.

To enable others to make and use my invention, I shall now describe the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, referring to the drawing, in which Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 are views of cartridges or parts of cartridges made in accordance with my said invention views.

Heretofore the shells of cartridges have been obtained by a sort of drawing process, which necessitated the employment of a superior quality of inetal,.and involved the necessity of' the shell being made of a certain thickness, and by machinery which it is impossible to carry along in the wake of an army in the field.

It is for this reason that l have adopted the method of construction above indicated, and which I carry out asfollows: I take a sheet of very thin copper or brass, which I cut into trapezes, the dimensions of which correspond with the length and diameter of the cartridgeshell to be obtained therefrom. I then fold over the edge in the directions of its depth, as seen in Fig. 1, and I hook the two folded edges to lap each other, and to form a tube, a, slightly conical. (See, for horizontal sect-ion, Fig. 3.) This lap-joined shell can be made of an inferior, cheap, light, and in the commerce readily obtainable, copper or brass. It also offers great resistance, owing to the elasticity of the joint, and when used the interior pressare of the gases has a tendency to compress the lap-joint against the interior of the barrel of the gun, and in that way a perfectly gasproof shell is obtained.

Owing to the even thickness of metal throughout the entire depth of the shell, sulficient rigidity can be attained to enable one to and Figs. 3, 7, and 10 are enlarged handle the empty cartridges without fear of bending them out of shape. Lastly, the making of such cartridges requires but simpleimplements.

In order that the shell may have no projection on the outside, I force it into a matrix of a special form, so as to give the shell the contracted shape, as required for army purposes, and as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. At the same time a cup-like flange, b, is formed at the other end of the shell a, which is to receive the disk 0, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This disk is made of metal, or other suitable material, and

is struck up and notched at d, to contain the lap-joint of the shell, as shown in Fig. 7.

The disk being properly adjusted into the cup-like flange of the shell, before described,

it is secured therein by bending the flange down over and upon the said disk, as shown in Fig. 8. I then place the shell, with i s disk, into the comparatively heavier exterior re-enforce cup 0, as seen in Figs. 8, 9, and 10. The whole being thus arranged, lsuhject the cartridge to compression in. a die by means of a mandrel, which will expand certain parts, and compress others, so as to ultimately assume the shape as shown in Fig. 11. In this way thethree parts which constitute the cartridge --viz., the shell, the interior disk, and the exterior re-enforceare firmly and intimately united, as seen in Fig. 11. The mandrel causes the disk to be forced against the exterior reenforce cup in such a way as to clasp and imprison the lower part of the shell, whereby the cartridge at that part is rendered gas-proof.

On account of the greater height of the exterior re-enforce flange, as compared with that of the interior disk, the transverse rupture of the shell at its junction with the bottom piece is rendered impossible.

To army cartridges which are to be used more than once, I prefer to give additional strength to the bottom of the cartridge by means of a double or superposed re-enforce cup, as seen in Fig. 12, in which figure a is the lap jointed shell, as before described, to the lower end of which I first apply the exterior re-cnforce cup, b, which, in its turn, is .put into a second exterior re-enforce cup, 6, upon which the flange d is formed. The height of the-latter I prefer to make less than thatot' the first; but in this respect changes may be effected, according to the judgment of the maker.

The interior of this cartridge is provided, as in the first-described cartridge, with the disk 6, which ought to be lower than the crown of either of the two exterior re-enforce cups.

It will be obvious from mere inspection of the drawings that this cartridge will be absolutely gas-tight, since, when used, the expansion due to heat will have for effect the compression of the re-cnforce cups, and their more perfect adaptation against the interior of the barrel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A metallic cartridge the shell of which consists of a sheet of brass of the thickness required for the walls of the shell, formed into a cylinder or cone by a lap-joint extending longitudinally of the cartridge, as shown and set forth. V

2. In combinatitm with-thelap-jointed sheetmetal shell, the interior disk, 0, with recesses d, to receive the lap-joint of the shell, as shown and set forth.

3. The lap-joint sheet-metal shell and peripherally-recessed internal disk, 0, in combin ation with one or moreexternal re-enforce cups, all as shown and set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification before two subscribmg witnesses.

M. M. 'GAUTHE Y.

Witnesses EMILE :BARRAULT, AUG. VINET. 

